Polokwane International Airport (IATA: PTG, ICAO: FAPP) (Afrikaans: Polokwane Internasionale Lughawe), is an airport serving the city of Polokwane (known until 2005 as Pietersburg) in the South African province of Limpopo. The airport is located 5 km north of the city.[2] It is not to be confused with the nearby Pietersburg Civil Aerodrome (ICAO: FAPI).
Overview
It opened in March 1996[3] on the site of a former air force base[4][5] (which had the ICAO code FAPB[6]). It was formerly known as "Gateway International Airport".[4][7] It is owned by Gateway Airports Authority Limited, owned by the Limpopo Provincial Government to manage all public airports in Limpopo.[8]
In April 2021 the South African Civil Aviation Authority downgraded the airport's license category due to inadequate provision of safety services for scheduled commercial flights. Consequently Airlink suspended their flights.[9] The airport has scheduled flights to Johannesburg, with five flights on weekdays, one flight on Saturday and two on Sunday.[10] As of 2010, it handled approximately 8,000 aircraft and 58,700 passengers per year.[4]
Polokwane International Airport is back in full operation. Since March 2023, the Airport has three flights a day during weekdays and two over the weekend between Polokwane and Johannesburg.